October has arrived! For me, the month always begins with a celebration for my granddaughter, Vivian, who was born on the first. This year she turned seven. I went to her birthday party on Saturday; it was held a day early to make it easier for out-of-town family to attend.
Several years ago, a family friend made a cloth dollhouse for my daughter Molly. Well-loved through the years, it is now enjoyed by my grandchildren, especially Vivian. I found a pattern for one quite similar and decided if I didn’t make one for Vivian now, she might “outgrow” it. I began work on my project, finishing a couple of days before the party. There were lots of pieces to cut, as it even included furniture.
As I thought about wrapping Vivian’s present, my ornery streak kicked in. I remembered Christmas a couple of years ago when I placed a stuffed animal I had made for her in a plain cardboard box, making it easier to wrap. When she tore off the paper, Vivian eyed the box and declared with all the disgust a five-year-old could muster, “I got a BOX for Christmas?!!!” Finally persuaded to open the box, her dismay turned to glee when she found the ballerina pig inside.
I knew that I had kept the box from a 7-in-1 pot that I received last year. It even had the Styrofoam packing and plastic bags still inside. Nothing could stop me from placing Vivian’s dollhouse inside one of the bags and placing a piece of the Styrofoam over it. Then I sealed it shut with clear packing tape, making it look like it had never been opened.
After checking out the birthday card attached, Vivian eagerly began tearing the paper off her present from Grammie. When she saw the box, her excitement turned to confusion. If looks could kill, I would be dead right now. My camera was ready, and I managed to capture Vivian’s disgusted countenance. Her mother convin
ced her to look inside the box; the discovery of the dollhouse left an entirely different expression on her face. She was thrilled! All my hours of work were well-repaid (as was my ornery streak).
There is nothing better to celebrate October than a cider cake. It is one of my very favorites, including cider in the cake, the filling, and the frosting.
October Cider Cake
3/4 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Cider Filling
Creamy Cider Frosting
Chopped pecans (optional)
Cream shortening; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves; add to creamed mixture alternately with cider, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lemon juice.
Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove layers from pans, and cool completely.
Spread Cider Filling between layers; spread top and sides with Creamy Cider Frosting. Garnish top of cake with pecans, if desired. Yield: one 3-layer cake.
Cider Filling
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy saucepan; gradually stir in cider. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and butter; cool. Yield: about 1-1/4 cups.
Creamy Cider Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider
1/4 teaspoon salt
About 4-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool. Gradually add sugar until spreading consistency; beat until smooth. Add pecans. Yield: enough for one (8-inch) 3-layer cake.